[MadysonMom]

Did anyone see Discovery Health last night. There was a story about a mom who gave birth to quintuplets at 24 weeks. They were only 6.6lbs. combined. They were in the NICU for about 3 months and they talked about the mom nursing all 5. She didnt actually nurse but pumped every three hours and brought all the milk to the hospital each day. The nurse talked about how great breastmilk was and how it has "healing properties". This was really great to hear. If she can do it for 5 than anyone should be able to do it for one. The only thing I was confused about was when they brought the babies home they talked about how she would prepare for the next day and showed her making 35 formula bottle each night. They also said the infants were put on high calorie formula to help them gain weight. I was confused because they never address the fact that she stopped nursing. Just thought I would share.

 

[AlexisT]

It's very possible that she simply didn't have enough milk to feed all 5, that they required high-cal supplements, or that once she got the babies home from the hospital she couldn't take care of them and keep up such an intense pumping schedule. I EPed and bottle fed for 6 weeks (before giving up on my low supply as nothing was increasing it) and I was tied to the pump. And that was with one. I guess they should have explained it but there are lots of very good reasons.

 

[queenbean]

That's awesome that she was able to pump at the beginning. The other poster is probably right -- it was probably just hard to keep up with caring for 5 babies and still sticking to such a demanding pumping schedule. And the human body really isn't designed to have 5 babies at one time, so she very well may not have been making enough milk. We have two boobs because we are designed to have a maximum of 2 babies... more than that RARELY happens naturally, without the use of fertility drugs. I just think it's great that those babies were getting breastmilk while they were in the NICU. That's the most crucial stage, and I'm so happy that she did that for them. Good for her.

 

[jmmsunshine]

 

[spughy]

I have a friend who had triplets entirely naturally (ie no IVF or anything, just a freak occurrance - they're identical too). She nursed them for 6 months but they had formula too - I don't think supply was as much of an issue as just logistics - you can only feed two at a time, max, and given the length of time it takes newborns to nurse, I think making one wait while the other kids enjoy boobies just didn't fly with her mama instincts. With 5 kids, I think the only way to do it would be to nurse a pair and give the rest formula - or pump as much as you could as often as you could and supplement the rest with formula. Unless you were basically tied to a couch with a catheter with a 24-hour servant, I don't think you could nurse 5 babies even if your supply was up to it.

(side note: you know how some people have 3 nipples? I wonder anyone's ever made that third nipple produce milk. That'd be cool.)

 

[wannabe]

Wow, I am so impressed that it crossed her mind to try with five, that she pumped for them and that she managed it at all!

Maybe they wouldn't latch and it was just too time consuming to try and work on latching with so many? I can't imagine having to listen to one baby cry while you fed another, let alone four! And if they were only having one feed in four or five at the breast then it would be really hard to get them latching well, I imagine.

Spughy, could you imagine? If you nursed two at once, each feeding would take almost three hours. And how many newborns can wait three hours between feeds?

 

[les7699]

Wow! I'm impressed. I've always told myself I could nurse twins but 5? No way.

 

[Fiestabeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spughy (side note: you know how some people have 3 nipples? I wonder anyone's ever made that third nipple produce milk. That'd be cool.)

That just made me LOL! My dd has three nipples, and we joke that she'll be able to feed triplets when she grows up!

 

[ChattyCat]

Having been a NICU mom, I know that many preemies need to gain weight. My dd was near-term (36 weeker with breathing issues) didn't need the extra calories, but I overheard many moms and the nurses. They would be bfing, but have to give 2 hi-cal bottles a day or something to that effect. Some of these babies are seriously tiny. I was at a VERY bfing friendly NICU.